Parting rail release mechanism

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a window assembly comprising (a) a frame having opposed, vertical jambs with an upper sash guide rail, joined at their ends to the ends of opposed, horizontal top and bottom members forming, respectively, a header and a sill; (b) an upper and lower window sash, with the upper sash having stiles extending into the guide rails in the jamb to enable vertical sliding movement of the upper sash in the frame; (c) a parting rail mounted to the upper portion of each jamb in a channel adjacent to the upper sash guide rail to retain the upper sash within the frame, each parting rail having a longitudinal dimension about equal to the longitudinal dimension of the upper sash; (d) a parting rail spring means mounted in each channel to push the parting rail away from the jamb and towards the sash to hold the upper sash in place; and (e) a parting rail activator mounted on the upper outer edge of each upper sash; wherein the parting rail activator engages the parting rail when the upper sash is pulled down thereby pushing the parting rail into the channel to allow the upper sash to be tilted inward. The present invention is directed to a single-hung and double-hung window assemblies comprising the novel parting rail and parting rail activator.

We claim: 
     
       1. A window assembly comprising: (a) a frame having opposed, vertical jambs with an upper sash guide rail, joined at their ends to ends of opposed, horizontal top and bottom members forming, respectively, a header and a sill;   (b) an upper and lower window sash, with the upper sash having stiles extending into the guide rails in the vertical jambs to enable vertical sliding movement of the upper sash in the frame;   (c) a parting rail mounted to an upper portion of each jamb in a channel adjacent to the upper sash guide rail to retain the upper sash within the frame, each parting rail having a longitudinal dimension about equal to the longitudinal dimension of the upper sash;   (d) a parting rail spring means mounted in each channel to push the parting rail away from the vertical jambs and towards the sash to hold the upper sash in place; and   (e) a parting rail activator mounted on the upper outer edge of each upper sash; wherein the parting rail activator engages the parting rail when the upper sash is pulled down thereby pushing the parting rail into the channel to allow the upper sash to be tilted inward.     
     
     
       2. The window assembly according to claim 1, wherein the parting rail is beveled. 
     
     
       3. The window assembly according to claim 1, wherein the parting rail spring means is a compression spring. 
     
     
       4. The window assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a stationery parting rail mounted in the header to further retain the upper sash within frame. 
     
     
       5. The window assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a push handle in the upper sash. 
     
     
       6. The window assembly according to claim 1, wherein the channel is a T-shaped channel. 
     
     
       7. A double-hung window assembly comprising: (a) a frame having opposed, vertical jambs with upper and lower sash guide rails, joined at their ends to ends of opposed, horizontal top and bottom members forming, respectively, a header and a sill;   (b) an upper and lower window sash each with stiles extending into their respective guide rails in the vertical jambs to enable vertical sliding movement of the sashes in the frame;   (c) a parting rail mounted to an upper portion of each jamb in a channel between the upper and lower sash guide rails to retain the upper sash within the frame, each parting rail having a longitudinal dimension about equal to the longitudinal dimension of the upper sash;   (d) a parting rail spring means mounted in each channel to push the parting rail away from the vertical jambs and towards the sash to hold the upper sash in place; and   (e) a parting rail activator mounted on the upper outer edge of each upper sash; wherein the parting rail activator engages the parting rail when the upper sash is pulled down thereby pushing the parting rail into the channel to allow the upper sash to be tilted inward.     
     
     
       8. The double-hung window assembly according to claim 7, wherein the parting rail is beveled. 
     
     
       9. The double-hung window assembly according to claim 7, wherein the parting rail spring means is a compression spring. 
     
     
       10. The double-hung window assembly according to claim 7, further comprising a stationery parting rail mounted in the header to further retain the upper sash within frame. 
     
     
       11. The double-hung window assembly according to claim 7, further comprising a push handle in the upper sash. 
     
     
       12. The double-hung window assembly according to claim 7, wherein the channel is a T-shaped channel.